1986 SE Timing wire

[RISSK]

My neighbor has a 1986 Feiro SE with the 2.8L he just bought. he is trying to do the timing on it. He can't find the wire that you need to disconnect from the computer to hook up the timing light. It was supposed to be in the trunk and it is brown and black. Do you know where it is or what he is talking about? He is not computer literate and I don't know cars very well so it is like the blind leading the blind. Thanks in advance.

[bmcf]

There is NO wire related to engine timing in the trunk.
Here is the correct procedure.......
With the engine off, attach your timing light to number one cylinder ( plug wire closest to the dog bone) and to the battery (if required). Remove the diagnostic connector plate- (that's the plate around the cigarette lighter ) by removing the two screws with a #15 torx driver. You will see a dignostic connector. Now using a cut paper clip or a small piece of #16 solid wire, connect (or short) the two pins on the top of the connector (pins A and B) on the passesnger side of the vehicle together. What you are doing is grounding the diagnostic pin and putting the ECM in a test mode. In this mode the ECM will not advance the timing past the initial setting. Loosen the distributor hold bolt so that the distributor can be rotated. Now start the vehicle and let it warm up a bit. Flash the timing light on the timing marks and rotate the distibutor until the crankshaft marker grove lines up with the ** 8 BTDC mark. Somewhere between 8-10* BTDC usually works well for a base timing setting on V6 engines. The timing usually goes not change all that much in electronic ignition vehicles if at all, but it is still a good idea to check it from time to time. On Fiero it is likely that you will probably have to rebuild your distributor one day to replace the pickup coil and module so it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with the timing procedure.

Good luck